July 14, 2011
Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. ("K" Line) concluded the dedicated vessel contract for grain raw material transportation from North America Gulf, North America West Coast and Australia using specific Panamax and Handymax type vessels with National Federation of Agricultural Co-operative Associations (JA Group) this time.
The distribution volume of domestic mixed forage varies between 24-25 million tons a year, and the handling amount of JA Group accounts for about 30 percent. "K" Line will transport about two million tons of grain or less per year to JA Group by concluding the corresponding contract, including current contracts and spot contracts, etc.
JA Group aims to provide a stable supply of grain to Japan with efficiency and improvement of transportation becoming possible thanks to the reliability and dependability of transportation through these specific vessels, including the new vessel, consequently helping in the support of production of Japan’s domestic stock raising farmers.
"K" Line Vision 100 - New Challenges" is the mid-term management plan that our company announced in April, which includes fleet expansion plan for mainly small and medium-sized bulker vessels. This plan encourages efforts that will promote a stronger relationship with the JA Group, including a series of contracts in the future such as this present one, striving to achieve our mission for "Expansion of stable earnings base and sustainable growth" at the early stage.